This year's title marks a major departure from the publication's traditional terms of Sportsman or Sportswoman.

Editor of the Sports Illustrated Group, Paul Fichtenbaum, spoke to USA Today about the change.

"We just felt this was a natural evolution ... We're not making a huge deal out of it," Fichtenbaum said. "It just feels like the right time to make the change."

He continued, "She was the most deserving person for the award. She had an amazing year. The way she won her events; the fact that she's done this for so many years at such a high level."

He went on to say that this year was full of amazing sports and that Williams was "a terrific candidate in a year of terrific candidates," especially given that "women's sports has grown in popularity, and the competition is better than ever."

The last female athlete to land a solo SI cover by herself was runner Mary Decker in 1983.